My friend is recovering from a stroke and I’ve been told he has aphasia. What is that?

Aphasia means that your friend’s ability to read, write, speak and understand spoken language may be lost or reduced, though his intelligence remains intact. It is caused by brain damage. When communicating with your friend, give him time to speak. Resist the urge to finish sentences or offer words unless he signals you that your help is welcome. You don’t need to shout. Keep your voice at a normal level but turn off competing noises (music, appliances, etc). Be open to using different ways of getting and sending messages, such as drawings, gestures, and facial expressions. Finally, if you can verify that your friend is using yes/no consistently, you can use yes/no questions to confirm your understanding of his communication to you.